


Premiere Passes

by Aicosu



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Comic-Con, Cosplay, F/M, Nerdy and Awkward Ben Solo falls in love, San Diego Comic-Con, at comicon, cosplay au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 07:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6894733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aicosu/pseuds/Aicosu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While in line for Hall H at Comic-Con, Ben and Hux get cut in line by some Rebel cosplayers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Premiere Passes

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to my reylux-fam who inspired the idea, and all the cosplayers out there. ;D

  
It was hard to sit up straight with the elastic pulling his spine taught, but he was able to spot Hux through the crowd of heads gathered on the grass.

The uniformed asshole was walking towards the lines with one hand holding the requested Starbucks orders and the other dangling a large plastic bag screen printed with bright colored logos.

His normally orange hair was tinted in a grey paint, dulling the ginger to a very pale blonde. The Imperial khaki looked a bleached grey under the sun as he crossed the street. It made his skin look impossibly paler, especially with the stark black of his gloves and shiny boots. Even his badge and sunglasses reflected white.

“Look a Tarkin!” Someone said nearby and Ben bristled as a few people stood up to rush out to the sidewalk with their cameras.

They stopped Hux and Ben watched him talk to them with a smug smile. He took a picture with a half-assed pose, not even bothering to put down the Starbucks or his shopping bag.

When he made it through the clusters of picnics and sleeping convention goers, Ben snapped at him from their small spot near the front of the line.

“Where the fuck were you?” His voice reverberated in his ears in the plastic and foam of his mask.

“I went to get coffee.” Hux replied, sitting down neatly with his legs tucked beneath him, careful to stay on the blanket. “Do you want a frapp or a latte?”

“You left _four hours_ ago!”  
  
Hux tsked. “The Dealer’s hall opened at 9am so I had to—”

“We were going to go together!”

“I wanted to get a few exclusives, alright? Now do you want a frapp or a latte?”

Ben took the latte, eyeing the white frapp with a mountain of whip cream with confusion. It was the Stormtrooper themed order from their special menu.

“It was for Phasma, but she was running late for the tournament.” Hux answered, setting the abandoned drink aside and sipping his own macchiato. “Yours it the other themed one. Boba Fett I think.”

Ben tried not to sour. The bounty hunter wasn’t bad, even if he wasn’t an Imperial. Still, he stared at the drink precariously held in his clawed hands. He couldn’t move it too much between the plastic or leather of his fingers..

“I can’t drink this.”

Hux looked up from digging through his shopping bag and seemed to realize the problem.

“Take the helmet off, then.”

Ben tensed at the idea. He hadn’t taken it off all day. And… there were a lot of people crowded around them.

Hux pulled his sunglasses off and rolled his eyes, “No one’s going to care that you don’t look like him.”

“Didn’t you get straws?”

Hux sighed dramatically and yanked the straw from the forgotten frappuccino and shoved it into his cup. After some floundering with aiming it into his mask, Hux scooted over and pulled the drink from his hands too.

“Honestly.”

Hux bent the straw and shoved it into Ben’s mask. It bumped his lips.

“Oh my god! Can I get a photo of that?”

They both froze, twisting their heads to the group in front of them where a female rebel pilot was shaking her phone.

“Why?” Hux drawled, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“It’s funny! Tarkin helping princess Leia!” She said.

“I’m not Leia, I’m Starkiller!” Ben snapped through his helmet, his hands curling in his lap with frustration.

“Isn’t that her disguise in the third movie?”

“No! Her’s has ventilation in—”

“You can take a picture anyway.” Hux amended with a charming smile, waving his gloved hand and shoving the straw back into Ben’s mask.

Ben tried to jerk away, but the girl took the picture quickly and turned back to group with a wave.

“Hux, I don’t want to do candids.” He took the drink from Hux’s hands roughly.

The Grand Moff ignored him, digging through his shopping bag to pull out a stack of foil packets.

“You did _not_ buy more cards.”

“They’re exclusive. Last year’s cards were the reason I almost didn’t win the GN championship. I’m not having stats beat out strategy again this year,” he defended, already sifting through the open foil to thumb each playing card.

Ben shook his head before catching the other boxes in the plastic bag. He shoved a free claw inside to jostle some of the boxes and spotted some action figures.

“What’s all this?”

“Oh, some of the raffle exclusives. I signed up for the chance to buy them on day one. There’s only 20 each of these.”

Ben tilted his head to read the names. “I’ve never heard of any of these characters.”

“Neither have I. They aren’t for me. I’m going to sell them on ebay, for triple what I bought them for.”

Ben straightened to stare at Hux.

“You're a monster.”

Hux grinned in a way that would probably make Admiral Tarkin himself blush. “I know.”

“POE! POE DAMERON!”

“OVER HERE FLYBOY!”

The screams had the entire lawn looking to the group seated in front of Ben and Hux. The rebel pilots had all stood and began shouting, with their arms waving wildly. Hux made a disgusted noise at the raucous sight.

“Over here! We’re over here Poe!!”

Ben tried to look where they were waving, seeing if he could catch what had turned them into a frenzy. But the helmet’s gaze was limiting and the leather and vinyl of his costume didn’t let him move much when he was sitting.

“At least it’s not another rebel.” Hux said quietly.

Before he could ask what he meant, Ben caught the sun gleaming off the TIE fighter armor. The black clad pilot was flanked by a Trooper with a kit Ben didn’t recognize. In fact he didn’t recognize the TIE fighter’s armor either. But they looked like they had marched straight off the movie set.

The pilot waved from the sidewalk before ripping his helmet off, revealing a handsome face flashing the brightest smile Ben had ever seen.

“Red and Blue!?” He yelled, unabashed by the mass of heads staring at him.

The pilots beside them all rose their arms with a whoop. “Black Leader!!”

“Whoop whoop!

“AYY!!”

“Kill me.” Hux deadpanned as they both stared at the TIE fighter who began stepping through the picnics and clusters to head straight toward them. His Stormtrooper followed closely.

Even up close, Ben couldn’t place the version of the costume the guy was wearing. The helmet had red lines down the front and a sleeker shape than any he’d seen before.

What he did know was that it was really, really well made.

Both trooper kits shined like freshly painted cars. Each piece was hinged by real rubber tubing, the decals weren’t stickers, and they were both wearing the official merchandised boots. Ben could even see the speaker wires inside the helmet dangling from the pilot’s hands.

“We were looking for you guys!”

“We set up early!”

“Yeah, grab a seat!”

“Thanks man, come on Finn, sit—Rey! Rey, over here!”

The whole group turned again, including Hux and Ben, the conversation and actions to loud to ignore.

And that’s when Ben saw Padme Amidala.

“Can I just step through, Poe?”

Or well— a cosplay of her but—

“Yeah, come on!”

She was—

“Excuse me.”

Perfect.

Her hands rose to balance herself as she passed them, a regal image in rich white wool and soft poly-cotton. She even had the blaster strapped to her hip. Episode II, before the capture on Geonosis, perfectly accurate and very, very pretty.

Ben couldn’t breath as he stared up at the girl standing in front of him. With the perfect face, perfect brows, perfect lips, she looked just like her. She was beautiful, she was **—**

_—cutting them._

It wasn’t until the three began to sit down that he and Hux realized what was happening.

“How dare you—!

“You can’t cut us!”  
  
The pilot looked over his shoulder at them, brows raised.

“Oh.. hey, look—”

“We’ve been here since morning.” Ben cut him off, a surge of new adrenaline pumping through him. He tried not to look at the Queen-turned-Senator of Naboo to his left.

“Sorry, man, my garrison here has been place-holding for us since last night.” The pilot shrugged down at them.

Garrison? Ben’s eyes snapped to their costumes, suddenly aware that they were all wearing matching patches with names and numbers.

They were _official_ costumers. Accepted members of the elite replicators guilds. Front-runner cosplayers who walked parades, got their own trading cards, and did charity work with sick kids.

Ben swallowed, feeling something boil in his stomach.

Of course. These types were always pretentious assholes—

“Nice Starkiller though, man!”

And just like that the comment made everything else slide away for a moment.

“T-Thanks.” Ben said, before rushing, “You’re the first person to recognize me.”

“Really!? You look great!” The pilot laughed, coming to a knee before him.

Hux made a noise, “You always choose the most obscure characters and then complain when no one recognizes you. I don’t know why you didn’t just wear Vader.”

Ben stiffened at Hux’s comment, especially since he did wish he had worn Vader now that the world’s best Padme Amidala had appeared next to him.

“You have a Vader too?” The pilot asked, looking thrilled.

“It’s not done.” He hurried, looking away.

The pilot sat then, urging his friends to as well. Ben tried to watch the Stormtrooper tug off his gloves hands and settle his blaster down as if he could glean how they worked. But when he realized Padme was going to sit next to him, he shot up, brushing a hand hastily on the blanket.

“Wait— do-don’t get your costume stained.” He murmured in his helmet, still avoiding her gaze as he cleaned the spot for her.

He could feel Hux burning a hole through his head and was grateful his helmet was containing the flush in his ears.

“Thanks.” When she sat her shoulder bumped into his arm. She was even perfectly short. The exact height.

He should have been Vader.

“We’re with the Legion here,” The pilot motioned. “Normally, we’re Rebellion. Pilots or smugglers. I can show you—oh, where’s our cards?”

“I have them.” The Stormtrooper spoke, the speaker clicking beneath the mask to project his voice. After a bit of fumbling, the Trooper took the helmet off, revealing a younger man than Ben had expected but just as handsome. “They’re in the back of my belt.”

“No problem, buddy.” The pilot reached for them after patting the Trooper’s back, digging them out and thumbing two towards Hux and Ben.

“That’s our cosplay page, and our garrison.”

They took them hesitantly, and Ben had to bring the card high to see it through his visor. There were a collection of photoshoot images, both boys dazzling the camera with smiles, clad in X-Wing gear and blasters. _‘StormPilot,_ ’ the card read. _‘Poe and Finn. Couple cosplay.’_

Ben didn’t see Padme on either side.

He glanced toward her where she sat quietly, smiling indifferently.

He’d never seen her online, he would have remembered, or saved the images. Did she have other costumes? Other versions of Amidala? Did she have an Anakin? Ben couldn’t stop his brain from jumping through the ideas like wildfire.

Hux waved the card airly. “I don’t do these. I buy my costumes.”

“Do you guys have a page? Instagram?” Poe asked. Hux shook his head.

“We’re not a team, but I have one.” Ben replied, shifting oddly in his costume to pull out his own business cards from down his boot. He managed somehow even with his claws. He pulled out three, but to his dismay, Poe took all of them.

“Kylo Ren? Cool cosplay name.”

He had only done Imperial stuff. Masked costumes. He didn’t look like any characters and always felt weird picking something where his face wasn't covered.

“What version are you two doing?” Ben asked, unable to sate his curiosity now that they were all talking and exchanging cards.

“The new designs from VII! I couldn’t resist! I’ve always loved TIE fighters and Finn offered to be my ground Trooper.” Poe smile, elbowing his partner.

“Well, I want to be in the same pictures as you.” Finn flushed, “I can’t do that as Luke Skywalker.”

“Wait, from the trailer?” Hux asked incredulously, “Didn’t that just come out two weeks ago?”

“Hey, we were excited! And Rey said she would do the armor in her shop so then we _had_ to try.”  
  
Ben snapped his head to stare down at the girl beside him.

_She had made all the armor._

Ben tried to imagine her making the mold, pouring the cast, fiber-glassing...

“How did you do it so quickly?” Hux asked through Ben’s shell shocked silence.

“I altered some old stuff and vacuum-formed them before making molds.” She answered casually, brushing her hair back.

“You have a vacuum-form table?”

“I made one.”

She _made_ one.

“Rey doesn’t have a card but she does almost everyone’s armor in the garrison. She’s a wizard.” Finn explained.

Rey smiled brightly and shook her head, looking away to avoid the compliment.

Ben was in love with her.

“Have you guys thought about joining the Legion? They have open applications all year long.” Poe was saying. He was explaining something about the rules.

Hux started complaining about buying versus making.

But Ben couldn’t stop looking at Rey— Padme, _fuck—_  she was beautiful and she made armor better than his lousy attempt at thermoplastics. He stared in his half-hearted effort of a helmet that he had covered with the best paint job he could manage.

He should say something. He wanted to tell her she did an amazing job, or ask how difficult it was to mold something vacuum-formed, or maybe tell her she looked just like the real Padme, better even--

Maybe ask for her number or—

She looked up at him, at his mask, probably aware that he was quite literally looming over her. He froze.

“Are—”

 _Smooth_. He urged himself, swallowing thickly before leaning further down so she could hear him through the helmet.

“ 'Are you an angel?' ”

“What?” She replied. Her nose scrunched in confusion.

Ben faltered. He didn’t really remember the rest of that script. “It’s—You’re Padme, so—it’s from the movie.”

“Oh.”

“When Anakin meets Padme, in episode one.” He tried to chuckle but it sounded stupid through his mask. He felt ridiculous.

“I’ve never seen Star Wars.” She said.

Ben’s whole body stiffened. “What?” He watched her shake her head as he tried to put together the broken information and respond properly. “You mean, the prequels? Or—”

“I haven’t seen any of them.” She shrugged nonchalantly, glancing at the others and their conversation before looking up at him again. “Poe suggested I do this costume. He wanted me to tag along and see what Comicon was like.”

“But your—you made the armor.”

“Yeah, but I just look at pictures.” She gave him a sheepish smile, like she had explained this before and realized it was some sort of carnal sin. “Sorry.”

Ben looked away, feeling a mess of emotions. He was somewhere caught between anger and offense that someone would look so perfect as something they had no inkling of— and excitement over being able to share the new experience with her.  
  
He was also distracted by the perfectly cute expression of nervousness she had just made, and the chuckle she let out when she looked at her friends.

Ben tried to tune back into what the boys were talking about. Hux was complaining about the convention staff, telling them the story about volunteers stalking them down to zip-tie all their weapons.

“...god awful orange colors. They could have some respect at least and cut the tie short—”

“For photos! I completely agree!” Poe nodded.

He almost jumped again when Rey spoke to him.

“Who are you?”

“What?” His helmet shifted downward as he whipped his head to look at her.

“Who are you cosplaying?”

“Oh... I’m…” Before it had been easy to rant, but now, with someone who hadn’t even seen the movies, it like he was trying to explain it to his parents again. He felt stupid. “Starkiller. He’s… he’s from one of the video games. Darth Vader’s secret apprentice. He’s one of the strongest in the Force.”

“I know Darth Vader. That’s an easy one.” She laughed. “I’d love to make his helmet.”

Ben sat up. “Y-yeah?”

“I work in a car shop as a mechanic. That’s how I met Poe. He’s the one who got me into making all this stuff.” Rey talked enthusiastically, moving her hands as she spoke. It was like she was casting a spell on him, forcing his heart to speed up with her excitement. “I love it! All the pieces are so different. But no one in the garrison does Vader—"  
  
“I do!—am—I would love to—!”

“Move over, Kylo.”

The voice broke them both apart, and they looked up to the blinding sight of Phasma.

She was standing over their grouped cluster, clad in her trademark metallic jacket decked out in convention pins and patches. Ben hadn’t even seen her approach. A near impossible feat considering her impressive height and stature.

She was holding an enormous trophy in her hands and she planted the it right between him and Rey.

“Wait—Rey—” Ben flustered, trying to lean behind and in front of his friend to stay with Rey. “I was saying—”

“Did you win that quickly?” Hux was already asking. “I thought the tournament wasn’t over until tomorrow?”  
  
Phasma shrugged, ignoring Kylo’s attempts to see past her. “I hit a kill streak.”

“Wait did you just come from the FPS tournament?” Finn exclaimed, reading the trophies plaque with wide eyes. “You won!? The whole thing?”

“Generally that’s what the trophy means.” Phasma said with raised brows. Hux snickered.

“Wait— I know you— you’re Phasma! From Youtube? I watch your Let’s Plays!” Poe recognized and both trooper boys pushed at each other in excitement. “Your slaughter runs without HUD are amazing!”

“Oh cool, thanks.”

Ben didn’t get another chance to talk quietly with Rey. There were a few more hours until the staff started herding everyone in lines to the panel and he doubted they could talk during that.

But Poe and Hux seemed to bond over table-top gaming, and Finn asked Phasma a million questions about tournaments. Ben spent most of the time staring at Rey as she listened, imagining both of them doing photoshoots in flower fields; holding hands and laughing in costume like they did in the movie.

So when the group collectively decided to spend the rest of the weekend's events together he couldn't have been more thankful.

This was already the best convention he’d been to all year.

 

**Author's Note:**

> [Hall H.](http://geekandsundry.com/how-to-get-into-hall-h/) (Hall H lines are notoriously a [party on the lawn](https://livestranded.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/hallhcrowdsdcc09.jpg))  
> [Rebel Legion.](http://www.rebellegion.com/) [501st](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501st_Legion) (costumer's guild.)
> 
> Ben is dressed as [Starkiller from Force Unleashed.](http://i.imgur.com/EE2IcTp.png)  
> Rey is wearing [this version of Padme.](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P9QYCyNW3NQ/T-YSoELg6kI/AAAAAAAADWw/Wtw2OtLcN7w/s1600/Padme+17.jpg)  
> Hux is [Grand Moff Tarkin](http://static.tumblr.com/cdea7c0965b4abec87c135863379431e/ffyf72m/m31mhvv8w/tumblr_static_tarkin-swecopy1.png), Finn is a Trooper (himself), and Poe is a [First Order TIE Pilot.](http://img.lum.dolimg.com/v1/images/first-order-tie-fighter-pilots_a040dfc7.jpeg?region=251%2C0%2C1561%2C878&width=768)


End file.
